


the future passed

by dnd



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 08:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13209411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dnd/pseuds/dnd
Summary: An au where Anankos' call for heroes is received not by Severa, Owain and Inigo, but by Lon'qu.





	the future passed

**Author's Note:**

> hi i had a bad idea for a fic so i wrote it. i. rly like lon'qu/mu angst ok  
> what is writing ic dialogue????? we just don't know
> 
> forgive me if i got any lore wrong! (esp fates lore with the whole anankos and hidden truths stuff)
> 
> gender neutral pronouns for robin and morgan so i don't limit it to one specific pairing! (you can decide what gender they are)

“ _May we meet again in a better life._ ”

 

Lon’qu jolted upright in his bed, cold sweat mingled with hot tears dripping down his face. It was the same nightmare he always had, the same scenario replaying in his head over and over again without fail. The gods were cruel; granting him love, then plucking it from his grasp just as he’d began to open his heart. And as if that wasn’t enough, he was forced to relive the moments of their passing over and over again whenever he went to sleep. It reminded him of how utterly helpless and pathetic he was, and it reopened the scar in his chest every single time with that same sharp pain that always remained.

Everyone else seemed to be moving forward with their lives. Sure, they had grieved, but either they were now better at hiding it than he was, or it had passed. “Time heals all wounds,” they would assure him. “I’m sure they’ll return someday. We just have to hope.” Useless, flimsy words, spoken out of pity. He resented it all. The way their gazes turned to shallow sympathy whenever they saw him. How their voices sounded like they tread on thin ice whenever they spoke to him. He knew exactly what they thought of him in secret. “Why haven’t you moved on already?” “Stop moping around and get on with your life.” But it wasn’t that simple. It was never that simple.

 

Sighing heavily, he forced his reluctant body to leave his bed. Get dressed. Make breakfast. Today he had to do errands, which meant actually leaving the house. It was a normal winter day in Ferox; freezing cold with snowflakes drifting downward through the air. Each breath left light puffs of mist as he briskly paced down his regular path to town.

 

* * *

 

 

Since Robin’s disappearance after dealing the final blow on Grima, Lon’qu had shut the doors on his life. He moved back to Ferox, living alone in a secluded cabin, claiming it was to focus on his training.The place wasn’t too far from town, yet he was regarded as a hermit of sorts by the townspeople. He only left out of necessity, and never really spoke to anyone. He rarely saw his companions from his days as a Shepherd, though some would pop in to say hello every now and then. As time passed, however, he found fewer and fewer people making the journey to see him. Regardless, a few times a month, Basilio would intrude upon his solitude, loud and vigorous as ever. No matter how many times he tried to push him away, Basilio kept coming back, refusing to give up.

 

It was the same case with Morgan. The kid had set off on their own journey to find Robin, promising that they’d succeed for sure. But even so, they still made time to check in on their father. However, it had been awhile since their last visit. The memory still stung in Lon’qu’s heart, and guilt filled him over his parting words to his own child. But it was too much for him, seeing Morgan’s passionate and determined face. The same bright eyes. That same kind smile.

 

“Why do you keep coming back? Don’t you know how much it hurts whenever you come here?”

“Father…”

“I-...I can’t bear it anymore….Please, just go.”

“If… If that’s really what you want, father.”

But then as they were about to leave, they turned to face him. Morgan’s eyes burned with resolve, sadness, grief and other emotions he couldn’t place. Too many emotions for a kid of their age to be feeling at once. Tears dripped down their face, but they didn’t bother to wipe them.

“But mark my words, I will find them. And I won’t come back until I do. I can promise you that.”

 

And then they left.

 

* * *

 

 

Lon’qu made his way through town, on his typical route for errands. Not many people tried to engage him in polite conversation; they already knew it was hopeless. He got what he needed quietly and without incident, then returned to his home.

 

* * *

 

He had just settled down for a meager dinner when there was a knock on the door. Lon'qu hesitated before rising to answer it. After all, it was probably only Basilio, and the man needed to learn how to mind his damn business. Regardless, he made his way to the door, if only to make the persistent bang of the knocks stop.

Just as he suspected, Basilio stood waiting behind it. However, there was someone behind him that caught Lon’qu’s eye and made him look up in surprise.

“Good gods is it cold out there. We could’ve frozen to death if you’d decided you didn’t want the company!” Basilio’s voice was loud and booming as ever, and his presence overwhelmed the quiet, morose mood of Lon’qu’s small living quarters.

“It’s not like you would have left even if I hadn’t opened the door.” Lon’qu replied dryly. Basilio grinned cheerfully, ignoring the tone of Lon’qu’s statement.

“But, look! I brought you some company! Let him in, he damn near got frostbite on the way here.” Basilio stepped aside to reveal a shivering Chrom, huddled in several layers of thick fur-lined cloaks.

“It’s not my fault Feroxi are so resistant to the cold…It’s freezing outside!” Chrom’s retort was muffled by the layers of fur and the chattering of his teeth.

“Pah! You Ylisseans have it too easy with your mild weather. It’s made you soft.” Basilio eagerly stepped inside the doorway, shaking snow from his own cloak and boots, Chrom quickly following suit.

After several minutes of ditching their many layers of protection from the cold, Basilio and Chrom settled down by the fire while Lon’qu grudgingly made tea.

“Lon’qu, how have you been? The other Shepherds and I haven’t heard from you in awhile, so I figured I’d check on you.” Chrom attempted to lighten the mood.

“I’m doing fine.” Lon’qu’s response was curt and brief.

Chrom opened his mouth to respond, but Basilio interrupted him. “Listen boy, you’re not fooling anyone with words like that. We can all see you’re suffering here, all on your own.”

Lon’qu froze. Basilio’s tone was sharp and deadly serious- something that was particularly unusual to hear from him.

“You don’t-” He began, but Basilio spoke over him.

“I do. I understand we may not have had the same relationship you did with Robin, but you have to get it through that thick head of yours that we’re all suffering. We all felt the impact of their decision. I understand that you were hit especially hard, and you’re suffering because of it. But, you need to understand that you’re not alone. Otherwise you’re headed nowhere but rock bottom. And hell if I’d let you do that to yourself without stepping in.”

“He’s right.” Chrom’s voice was calm and moderate; the same trained voice he used to settle disagreements with other officials. “Once a Shepherd, always a Shepherd. We’re all worried about you, Lon’qu. We want to help in any way we can.”

Lon’qu stood there, rooted to the ground. His mind was jammed with a flurry of emotions. Anger. Grief. Sadness. Prospect. Conflict. They collided in his head, each fighting to come forward with the same reckless abandon. They could never understand what he went through. How could they help him? But then again, they were technically his only friends, after all. And he’d been pushing them away nonstop, but they’d never quite given up on him.

But then a face appeared in his mind. A different face this time. A youthful, smiling face; the face of his childhood friend, Ke’ri. Nightmares, as vivid as they were when he was dreaming, flashed through his head of her falling, him fleeing. And it all happening again with Robin.

 

Then everything stopped.

 

His head cleared; he could think properly again. Blinking a couple times in confusion, he saw Basilio and Chrom looking at him with concern. Their mouths moved, but he couldn’t comprehend what he were saying. It was almost as if their movements were slowed down to the point he couldn’t hear or understand them.

 

A voice suddenly rang out in the silence. A man’s voice that echoed faintly in Lon’qu’s head as it spoke.

 

“Heroes who slew the Fell Dragon Grima, please heed my call. I seek assistance fighting a similar threat. In exchange, I will grant you whatever you wish.”

 

The last line seemed to echo longer than the rest. A wish? Anything he wanted? For the first time in a long time, hope blossomed in his chest. If this entity could grant him whatever he wished for, could that mean….?

 

He was so lost in thought he almost missed the second message: “Find the path I have left for you, and follow it until you reach me. Until then, I wish you the best.”

 

As soon as the last words ended, Lon’qu’s vision returned to normal. Almost as if returning back to reality, Chrom and Basilio moved and spoke in normal time once again.

 

Taking inventory of the room, he noticed Chrom and Basilio looking just as disoriented as him.

“The….the voice. Did you hear it too?” He asked, voice trembling slightly.

“Yes….I heard it.” Chrom replied, sounding just as shaky as him.

“What in the damned hell was that?” Basilio demanded. “And more importantly, who would be moronic enough to listen to it?”

“I agree, Basilio. The message was dubious at best. It would likely be wise to ignore it.” Chrom’s voice still wavered a bit as they recovered from the experience.

“Y….yes.” Lon’qu agreed reluctantly.

Suddenly, the reality of the situation hit him. He had just been granted a chance to get Robin back. A slim chance, at that, but a chance nonetheless. _What if it’s a hoax? What if it’s a trap?_ The skeptical side of him reasoned. But, he was desperate. Forget hitting rock bottom, he’d already smashed into it at full force. Hell, he’d dug his way even deeper, if that was possible. If there was any way to get Robin back, he’d be willing to take the risk.

Basilio watched Lon’qu carefully. “Boy, you better not be thinking of listening to that message. It’s got all sorts of bad signs coming from it. You’d be a fool to listen.”

“Y-yes. Of course…..” Lon’qu replied slowly. Basilio didn’t seem completely satisfied, but he looked back to Chrom.

“Well, it’s getting late. We should probably be heading back so you can rest.” Chrom stood and faced Lon’qu.

“Lon’qu, please...Promise me you won’t pursue that voice’s request. I don’t care what it said, nothing is worth the risk. It would be reckless and foolhardy to listen to something like that. I don’t want to lose you. We all don’t want to lose you. Robin wouldn’t want you to risk your life for this.” Chrom’s eyes were steadfast as they gazed unflinchingly into Lon’qu’s.

“I...I won’t.” Even Lon’qu wasn’t sure he would have convinced himself with that promise, but Chrom was far more trusting a man than he ever could be. He pulled his gaze away from Lon’qu’s carefully and turned to the door.

Soon after, the two had left, leaving him all alone once again. Basilio had grabbed him by the shoulders and given him a long, severe look before wordlessly walking towards the door and saying goodbye. He got ready for bed, and slid under the covers, mulling over what had just happened.

 

Falling into a deep slumber, he was greeted by visions of his loved ones who had left him. Except it wasn’t his average nightmares, in fact, these were pleasant scenes of their laughter and love. When he woke up, he was greeted by the emptiness and coldness of reality, like a slap in the face. And he knew what he had to do.

 

* * *

 

 

“You there. Show yourself.” Lon’qu’s voice rang out in the silence of the clearing. A single hooded figure stood in the shadows of the trees watching him. Lon’qu cautiously advanced towards them, sword at the ready. He had done what the voice had told him too, seeking out and following the path that had been left for him. The path, which ended up being a series of glowing orbs hovering near crudely damaged trees, led him to the Mila tree.

“Are you the one who summoned me?” He demanded. The figure remained still. Lon’qu advanced closer.

 

“Yes. I am.”

 

Lon’qu halted in his tracks. The voice seemed to echo and reverberate in his head, bypassing his ears. It sounded like it was coming within, rather than outside of him. He had only heard once other voice like this before in his life, and that alone was enough to put him on edge.

 

“You….what are you?” Lon’qu’s voice wavered against his will, his sword trembling very slightly in front of him.

 

“I’m afraid my origins are a bit complicated. Too complicated to go into detail about at the moment. I apologize. However, I have a task for you, if you will accept it. My name is Anankos. I hail from a different world than your own.”

 

“How do I know I can trust you?” His composure returned as his typical skepticism jolted him back to reality. He remained on edge, sword drawn and gaze piercing; waiting for any sign of hostility from the mysterious entity before him. There was something distinctly human, yet at the same time….inhuman about him. He got the feeling that somehow this was only a fraction of his true power. He radiated a strange aura; something otherworldly he’d never experienced before. He’d had plenty of experience with mages, though their magic didn’t come close to whatever he felt radiated from this person.

 

Anankos paused in thought. “I cannot force you to trust me. I understand my plea is not the most credible, considering the information I can convey at this moment is very limited. However, I can say for certain that a dangerous force not unlike the one you have faced looms over the well-being of a different world. And I need the help of strong heroes like yourself from this world to defeat it.”

 

Lon’qu was silent for a moment. “And the wish you mentioned? Can you really grant us anything we desire?”

 

“Anything within limit. For example, I cannot revive the dead.”

 

A knot formed in Lon’qu’s throat. What if they were dead after all? What if this was all for nothing?

 

“That one you seek. The tactician that vanished to defeat the dragon. I can sense they are still out there. They linger on, I can feel it.” As if reading his mind, Anankos spoke directly to his heart.

 

“So...so you can bring them back?” Lon’qu found himself lowering his sword slightly, and looking up with renewed hope.

 

“I don’t believe it would be outside my ability to do so. However, as a condition of the deal, you must come with me to my world for an unknown amount of time. Be warned, you may not return to this world.” Anankos’ voice was solid and firm. Lon’qu contemplated what he just heard. Was it worth it if it wasn’t certain he’d be able to reap the benefits of his own sacrifice?

 

But then he thought of Morgan. Their determination to find Robin again. The endless love and devotion they had for them. The guilt he felt for leaving them on such a sour note. He thought of Chrom, and his close bond with Robin. He thought of how all the other Shepherds grieved when Robin vanished. And he thought about how the future was yet to be written, and there was still that chance he’d be able to return.

 

“In that case, I-...” Lon’qu began, but he found himself interrupted by a very familiar voice. Basilio abruptly came running into sight, desperately shouting his head off.

 

“Hold it a minute, boy. I’m not about to let you form a deal with some suspicious being. Not on my watch!”

 

“Basilio, what are you-?” Lon’qu stuttered, shocked and confused.

 

“Did you really think Chrom and I would be foolish enough to leave you unsupervised after what happened last night? I’ve been keeping an eye on your place ever since. After all, somebody has to keep a reckless bonehead like you in line!” He turned to face Anankos.

“Listen, I don’t know what you’re all about, but if you’re here to deceive, then you’ll be facing the sharp end of my axe.”

 

Anankos looked at Basilio. “I would expect nothing less from a hero who managed to defeat the Fell Dragon. Do not worry, however, I come with no dishonesty or ill intent. I seek only to restore my own world to its former splendor.”

 

“I hope you know what you’re getting into.” Basilio addresses Lon’qu sternly. “I get the impression your mind is already set.”

 

Lon’qu nods. “It’s my last hope. If there’s any hope of them coming back, then I….”

 

“I know. In that case, I’m coming too.” Basilio flashes his trademark beaming grin.

 

“You’re-....you’re what?” Lon’qu gapes at the man in complete awe and bewilderment. “You can’t come with me, what if you never come back? You’re the Khan of Ferox! You can’t just disappear!”

 

“Listen to me, boy, I’m not letting you go off and risk your own neck for some miniscule chance of coming back. With me, your odds are looking much better.”

 

Lon’qu fumbles for words for a minute, but eventually gives in. It’s impossible to reason with Basilio once he has his mind set.

 

“So you’ll both help me? I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help. And I sincerely apologize for involving you in another conflict when you just finished dealing with one. Now, let us travel to a world where fates intertwine….”

 

* * *

 

“I promised him I’d come back when I found you! I’m so glad you’re back! Now I can show father that everything’s alright again!” Morgan enthusiastically leads Robin down the lightly trodden path to Lon’qu’s home.

“I can’t wait to see him...it sounds like he wasn’t in a very good state when you last saw him…” Robin replies, anxiously fiddling with the sleeve of their jacket with the hand not occupied by Morgan’s.

“Yeah...I was really worried...but everything is ok now that you’re back, right?”

Robin smiles reassuringly back at Morgan. “Right.”

“Oh, we’re here! Look! There it is!” Morgan speeds up, dragging Robin along with them. They reach the front door and hastily begin knocking on it, calling out to Lon’qu. “Father! Father! I have a surprise for you! You won’t believe it!!”

“Oh, I can’t wait to see him again….It’s been far too long.” Robin smiles with anticipation, eyes shining.

“He’s probably gonna cry when he sees you. He missed you a lot.” Morgan pauses to beam back at Robin.

“I bet. I missed him too. ….Huh, where is he? It’s certainly been a long time. Perhaps he’s out?”

“No, he can’t be out...he never leaves the house unless it’s absolutely necessary.” Morgan’s smile falters.

“I’m sure he won’t mind if I-...” Robin places their hand on the doorknob and turns it slowly. The door creaks open, revealing an eerily empty, abandoned house.


End file.
